Compost is the breakdown of organic materials, like grass clippings, leaves, garden waste, coffee grounds, and kitchen scraps. You should never put meat, bones, or dairy products in a compost pile. These materials will not break down and can make your compost smell bad and attract animals.

Having your own compost pile will keep your cost down on purchasing soil, plus you will be helping the environment. Composting can be done near your garden, which makes it convenient. There are two ways to compost, hot composting and cold composting.

Hot composting is a fast way to breakdown material, but it requires constant monitoring of the heat within the pile. This can be done with a compost thermometer. You can purchase one of these long thermometers at most lawn and garden centers; they are very inexpensive. Hot compost will need to be turned regularly, so all of the material has a chance to spend time on the inside of the pile. The smaller the compost pile, the faster the material will break down and be ready for use. Hot composting should have a center pile temperature, between 135°F and 160°F. Hot composting can start with grass clippings, leaves, and some water. If after 48-72 hours you find the temperature is not increasing, you can add an accelerant, which can also be found at your local garden center. My favorite go-to accelerant is horse manure; it’s FREE!

After a few days, the pile will start to get smaller. When this happens, check the temperature and turn the pile. This will allow air to flow from the bottom of the pile to the top, keeping the pile fluffy and fresh. When turning the pile, you will see that most of the material is already starting to breakdown. When all of the material is broken down, it is ready to be set aside to cure. This allows the compost to cool and become usable after at least a month of rest. The longer you wait, the better the compost material will be. Be sure to save some of the compost to start the process over again.

Cold composting will take more time, but it is easier to build and maintain. The end product will be the same, but instead of turning and monitoring the temperature, you just pull material from the bottom of the pile when you are ready to use it.

Now that you know how and where to put your pile, you will need to prepare the compost container. Compost containers can be made from many different materials, including plastic, metal, or even concrete. Plastic round bins seem to be the most popular. Plastic containers can be small and make it easier to turn and empty the contents. Some of my garden friends use concrete highway dividers. These can be very expensive but will last forever. I personally use wire fencing with plastic cable ties to hold the sides together. I like this method because it is easy to turn and empty the pile. When the time is right, I cut the cable ties, pull the fence away, and then tie the fence up next to the pile creating a new compost space.

If your compost seems dry, use your garden hose to mist the layers as you turn the compost. Keeping the material damp (not soaked) will help the microorganisms break down the material. Too much water is just as bad as not enough water.

One big tip I can give you is to mulch your leaves before putting them into your compost pile. The smaller the leaves, the faster they will break down.

If you use chemicals on your lawn, bushes, or trees, be careful not to include their clippings in the compost.

Happy Gardening.